Biography of the Undersecretary

Educational Qualification

Hon Ikere holds a Master of Science (MSc.) in Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Juba in 2005, with specialization on Gender and Development. And a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Social Anthropology. She obtained a diploma and an international certificate on Sexual and Reproductive health and Rights from Lund University in Sweden in 2017. She also obtained a diploma on Strategic Foresight and anticipatory leadership at Demos Helsinki (Training Institute in Finland) in September 2023.  She had undertaken various short courses on Security Sector Reform Training by DCAF, Geneva Training Centre on SSR and DDR in 2021, Election observation and mediation course at Kofi Annan International Peace keeping Training Centre in Ghana in 2017, Leadership and Human resource Course at Kenyan Institute of Monetary Studies in 2018, Leadership, Gender,  women economic empowerment, peace building and conflict management courses at the Africa Centre for Transformative and inclusive  leadership in  Kenya in 2013,

She obtained a certificate in procurement from ESAMI in 2012 and specifically, trained by the ICGLR regional Training Facility in Uganda as a national trainer on Gender based violence in 2019. She has also undertaken gender- based violence and women, peace and Security trainings in Juba from 2015-2020 that built her expertise and became a core trainer at the National Transformational Leadership Institute at the University of Juba from 2016 up to date.  Recently, she obtained a certificate in transformational leaderships innovation in the public sector in April 2025. Her areas of expertise include public service governance, gender, child and social protection, leadership, peace building and conflict management, women economic empowerment and disability inclusion.

Work Experience

Hon. Ikere Eluzai has more than 25 years of experience as a gender Practitioner and advocate in policy development and advocacy.  She was among the first female parliamentarians in the then South Sudan Legislative Assembly from 2005 to 2010 and contributed immensely to the parliamentary debate and initiation of the first motion on the implementation of the 25% affirmative action that led towards the advocacy of implementation of the Quota within the parliament and across government Institutions. She has supported and successfully implemented programs that aimed at promoting women’s leadership and political participation, Women, gender responsive governance, women’s rights and women economic empowerment, child rights and protection, social protection and disability inclusion, women, peace and security including women’s participation and engagement in peace building and conflict resolution in South Sudan. She has worked on women’s peace and security, ending violence against women, in a technical advisory role, and in coordinating the development of the first and the second National Action Plans on UNSCR 1325, Women, Peace and Security in South Sudan. Her expertise among the first South Sudan to champion the development of the national social protection policy in 2015 and steer the implementation of South Sudan Safety nets projects from 2011-2013, SSSNP from 2020-2023 and the SSNSOP from 2023-2026 under the world bank funded projects.

Hon. Esther has proven skills in strategic planning, institutional and individual capacity building of national institutions, procurement, Human resource management and partnership, in coordination, research and reporting throughout her career.  Through creativity and innovations, she was able to address pressing programs and key social issues. In the last 11 years she had built a wealth of knowledge on sexual reproductive health and Rights which adequately positioned her to supervise International Training Course on SRHR at Lund University in Sweden conducted for public sector in South Sudan through the Global Academy and the National Transformational Leadership Institute (NTLI) at the University of Juba and the SMOC programs from 2021-2023. Hon. Ikere coordinated the establishment of the National Transformational leadership Institute at the University of Juba between 2012-2016 and the Disability Resource Centre at the University of Juba between 2025 to 2026. She spearheaded the certification of the social work course at the University of Juba in the College of Community studies and Rural development in 2023 and currently, coordinating the Introduction and certification of Social Protection course at the University of Juba, in the school of social and economic studies. Being a researcher, she had also published several papers.

 

Academic Achievements

Hon. Esther Ikere Eluzai is an academician, and she holds a Master of Science in Gender and Development and a degree in Sociology and Anthropology and a lecturer at the college of social and social studies, National transformational leadership Institute at the University of Juba. She had supervised research studies for both bachelor’s degrees and master’s degrees at the department of sociology and Social Anthropology, Department of political science and Gender studies and organizational leadership. Currently, she teaches masters’ student in Organizational leadership, gender studies and women’s right, Women, Peace and security at the National Transformational Leadership Institute at the University of Juba. She has authored and edited numerous articles, produce and published training and conference papers including:

Publications

(a) Research Papers

  1. Ladu E.I.E(2024) Gender and Economic Empowerment Theme: Towards diversified, inclusive and sustainable economic Growth J. Agric. Econs. Extens. Rural Dev 12(1) Pp 1-10, 2024
  2. Ladu. E.I.E(2024) Report of the Study Visit on Children Affected with Nodding Syndrome in Maridi County Vol. 12(1): Pp 1-14, January 2024Global Research Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology: ISSN-2360-7920 (Online) & Open Access
  3. Eluzai I. E(2024) Women in Politics: Case of South Sudan, International journal of Arts and Humanities: ISSN-2360-7998 print and Open Access: DOI/Ajah/10.54978-12 Issue-9, September, 2024
  4. Eluzai E.I: The Role of Women in Transitional Justice: Best Practices and lessons learned from South Sudan. Int. J. Arts Humanit. ISSN: 2360-7998, Vol. 12(10): Pp. 248-259, 2024
  5. Eluzai E.I. (2026) Gender and Transitional justice: Addressing the Exclusion of Communities, Women and Vulnerable groups in Transitional Justice: Beyond Tokenism.
  6. 6. Ekevere, O. F. & Eluzai, I. E. (2026) Cultural and Religious Influences on Women ‘s Empowerment: Case Study of Nigeria and South Sudan: Int. J. Arts. Humanit… ISSN: 2360-7998(Print) and Open Access Volume-14(Issue):3, March, Pp. 51-68, 2026
  7. 1Eluzai E.I.& 2Idodo P. F (2026), The Role of Feminist Movements in Shaping Women’s Empowerment Narratives in Nigeria and Sudan, Spring J. Artif. Intell.EISSN:3121-8571 and Open Access, Vol-1(Issue)2, February, Pp.75-86, 2026

( b) Training Papers

  1. Eluzai I.E.: Gender Responsive Pedagogy. Educ.  Res. J.. ISSN: 2360-7963, Vol. 12(9) September, Pp. 87-93, 2024..
  2. Eluzai I.E.: Community Engagement. Educ.  Res. J.. ISSN: 2360-7963, Vol. 12(10) October , Pp. 147-149, 2024|..

 

Conference papers

  1. Eluzai I.E (2024)Protection of Children against Sexual Violence in

South SudanGlobal Educational Research Journal: ISSN: 2360-7963, (Print) & Open Acces Vol. 12(9) September , Pp. 103-112, 2024|

Eluzai I.E.: Gender and Disability Inclusion in Migration. Glob.  Educ.  Res. J.. ISSN: 2360-7963, Vol. 12(10) October , Pp. 126-133, 2024|..

Eluzai I.E.: Existing legal frame works for Constitution Making Process in South Sudan. A State of Progress. Int. J. Arts Humanit. ISSN: 2360-7998, Vol. 12(10): Pp. 228-232, 2024

Eluzai I.E.: Putting the Maputo Protocol to Use. Int. J. Arts Humanit. ISSN: 2360-7998, Vol. 12(10): Pp. 233-241, 2024

 

Awards Obtained

  • Parliamentary Award in Debate in 2010
  • Certificate of recognition by women intellectual forum in July 2021

 

 

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